The Department of State has issued a Federal Register Notice today soliciting recommendations for nominations of experts as authors and reviewers for the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC is an intergovernmental body that oversees the development of scientific and technical assessments of knowledge related to climate change, its potential impacts, and options for adaptation and mitigation. The IPCC periodically publishes comprehensive Assessment Reports covering major aspects of the state of knowledge of climate change. The fourth and most recent of these was published in 2007.

The IPCC is currently initiating development of a Fifth Assessment Report, with an expected publication date of 2014, and has invited governments to nominate scientific and technical experts to serve as authors and reviewers of the report. Following closure of the Federal Register Notice on February 15, 2010, the U.S. government will review recommended candidates on the basis of their qualifications and develop a slate of nominees to forward to the IPCC. The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) coordinates reviews of the recommendations in cooperation with the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President. Further information can be found at the Federal Register website: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-1098.pdf and the USGCRP website: http://www.globalchange.gov/whats-new/international-announcements.